Chairman, Bauchi State Fertilizer Company, Bappah Aliyu Misau
By Abbas Gungura, Bauchi
The Chairman of Bauchi Fertilizer Company Alhaji Bappah Aliyu Misau, while interacting with journalists in his office assured that the company has already produced enough fertilizer waiting for dry season farmers in the state and other surrounding states at a subsidized rate of N8, 500 per bag.
He revealed that this was borne out of the political will and commitment of the state Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed that revived the fertilizer company with the strategic injection of funds and other sound fiscal and operational policies that gave new lease of life for the input of the company and farmers in the state.
Bappah Aliyu, explained that when the Governor assumed office in 2019, some of the facilities were non-functional, the machinery at zero level and unused while most of the workers in the company were frustrated and demoralised due to lack of salaries and other entitlements before the governor’s intervention, and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development compelled the state to pay the sum of over N700m loan they supplied raw materials for the production of fertilizer in last administrations.
He further added that the governor showed the necessary political will to bring back the company to life as it is now performing because he settled the loan with federal government, paid all the outstanding staff salaries and raised production capital saying that presently, the plant works in three shifts of six hours each producing between 10 to 12 trucks of fertilizer per day of 600 bags each of NPK 20:10:10, suitable fertilizer for Nigeria’s soil mix comprised of Di-ammonium Phosphate (DAP), Muriate of Potash (MOP), Urea and Limestone granules with the last two components sources locally, they also produces NPK 15-15-15 and NPK 23-5-5.
The Chairman said they engaged over 200 adhoc workers who received between N60,000 to N80,000 monthly.
He said during rainy season, the state government purchased 130 trucks which was stored in all the 20 local government areas warehouses under Bauchi State Agricultural supply Company (BASAC) for farmers to buy at their door steps.
He said they are in talks with Gombe and Adamawa State Governments so that the company will produce fertilizer for them to use during dry season farming.
